Cameron Haffner helps Evansville end five-game skid with 57-40 victory over Missouri State

D-Wave Quantum Shares Are On The Rise Friday: What's Going On?

A pop-up spinning wheel offers the chance to win a coupon. Rotating captions warn that a less than $2 camouflage print balaclava and a $1.23 skeleton hand back scratcher are “Almost sold out.” A flame symbol indicates a $9.69 plush cat print hoodie is selling fast. A timed-down selection of discounted items adds to the sense of urgency. Welcome to the new online world of impulse buying, a place of guilty pleasures where the selection is vast, every day is Cyber Monday, and an instant dopamine hit is always just a click away. By all accounts, we’re living in an accelerating age for consumerism, one that Temu, which is owned by the Chinese e-commerce company PDD Holdings, and Shein, its fierce rival , supercharged with social media savvy and an interminable assortment of cheap goods, most shipped directly from merchants in China based on real-time demand. The business models of the two platforms, coupled with avalanches of digital or influencer advertising, have enabled them to give Western retailers a run for their money this holiday shopping season. Software company Salesforce said it expects roughly one in five online purchases in the U.S., the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada to be made through four online marketplaces based or founded in Asia: Shein, Temu, TikTok Shop — the e-commerce arm of video-sharing platform TikTok — and AliExpress. Analysts with Salesforce said they are expected to pull in roughly $160 billion in global sales outside of China. Most of the sales will go to Temu and Shein, a privately held company which is thought to lead the worldwide fast fashion market in revenue. Lisa Xiaoli Neville, a nonprofit manager who lives in Los Angeles, is sold on Shein. The bedroom of her home is stocked with jeans, shoes, press-on nails and other items from the ultra-fast fashion retailer, all of which she amassed after getting on the platform to buy a $2 pair of earrings she saw in a Facebook ad. Neville, 46, estimates she spends at least $75 a month on products from Shein. A $2 eggshell opener, a portable apple peeler and an apple corer, both costing less than $5, are among the quirky, single-use kitchen tools taking up drawer space. She acknowledges she doesn’t need them because she “doesn’t even cook like that.” Plus, she’s allergic to apples. “I won’t eat apples. It will kill me,” Neville said, laughing. “But I still want the coring thing.” Shein, now based in Singapore, uses some of the same web design features as Temu’s, such as pop-up coupons and ads, to persuade shoppers to keep clicking, but it appears a bit more restrained in its approach. Shein primarily targets young women through partnerships with social media influencers. Searching the company's name on video platforms turns up creators promoting Shein's Black Friday sales event and displaying the dozens of of trendy clothes and accessories they got for comparatively little money. But the Shein-focused content also includes videos of TikTokers saying they're embarrassed to admit they shopped there and critics lashing out at fans for not taking into account the environmental harms or potential labor abuses associated with products that are churned out and shipped worldwide at a speedy pace. Neville has already picked out holiday gifts for family and friends from the site. Most of the products in her online cart cost under $10, including graphic T-shirts she intends to buy for her son and jeans and loafers for her daughter. All told, she plans to spend about $200 on gifts, significantly less than $500 she used to shell out at other stores in prior years. “The visuals just make you want to spend more money,” she said, referring to the clothes on Shein's site. “They're very cheap and everything is just so cute.” Unlike Shein, Temu's appeal cuts across age groups and gender. The platform is the world’s second most-visited online shopping site, software company Similarweb reported in September. Customers go there looking for practical items like doormats and silly products like a whiskey flask shaped like a vintage cellphone from the 1990s. Temu advertised Black Friday bargains for some items at upwards of 70% off the recommended retail price. Making a purchase can quickly result in receiving dozens of emails offering free giveaways. The caveat: customers have to buy more products. Despite their rise, Temu and Shein have proven particularly ripe for pushback. Last year, a coalition of unnamed brands and organizations launched a campaign to oppose Shein in Washington. U.S. lawmakers also have raised the possibility that Temu is allowing goods made with forced labor to enter the country. More recently, the Biden administration put forward rules that would crack down on a trade rule known as the de minimis exception, which has allowed a lot of cheap products to come into the U.S. duty-free. President-elect Donald Trump is expected to slap high tariffs on goods from China, a move that would likely raise prices across the retail world. Both Shein and Temu have set up warehouses in the U.S. to speed up delivery times and help them better compete with Amazon, which is trying to erode their price advantage through a new storefront that also ships products directly from China.Calling all Harry Potter fans! You may not be able to take your kids to the real Hogwarts – but you can get pretty close this . Coats in , Renfrewshire, is a stunning old church that resembles the iconic wizard school, and a local artist is staging three events at the venue this winter to bring "festive magic alive". Lisa Cunningham recently ran a wizarding brunch at Coats and is putting on three more due to demand and rave reviews. The events are over the weekend of December 13, 14 and 15 and will see the venue decorated with Potter-style goodies, as well as special themed food and drinks, photo opportunities and even a real live owl. Lisa said: “We ran an event a few weeks ago and we were blown away by the response. “Demand has been crazy for some more themed brunches so we are definitely looking at other ideas too. “But the big news is we are doing three more Hogwarts inspired events just before Christmas. “The venue is perfect, it’s just beautiful, and everyone really got into the spirit of it all, coming along in costumes and stuff “So we hope this is the perfect festive treat for families – let’s bring the magic of Christmas to life.” While the events are inspired by the world of Hogwarts, they are not official endorsed events – but the venue alone transports you right to the heart of that fantastical world. “It’s all a bit of fun really – we’re all fans and it’s about giving local families something fun to do together in these tough times. “We have some really exciting things planned for 2025 exploring different interests and passions. “It’s such a gift having this beautiful venue to play with.” And while Lisa and the team can’t quite guarantee a white Christmas, they can definitely bring some magic to the build-up. “Transforming a space like this really gets the creative juices flowing which makes for such a special atmosphere and capturing the real magic that we look to emulate in every event we do. “From the set design to the actors, magicians to the owls and even the food elements, everything’s thought through thoroughly to create a wow factor for the guests.” Organisers have posted additional information on what fans can expect on their social media. They said: “After our SOLD OUT Harry Potter themed, wizarding brunch on Saturday 9th November at Coats church in Paisley, we are delighted to announce that we will be back with very special festive editions on Friday 13th, Saturday 14th & Sunday 15th December 2024. “Inspired by The Great Hall in Hogwarts Castle, the main area where students and teachers congregated and received their daily meals and owl post, the church upstairs will be converted with enough space to hold every student and aspiring wizard! “You can expect a selection of festive inspired sand-witches, savoury dishes, jelly snakes and potion-mixed drinks, along with a few of Harry’s favourites, pigs in blankets, turkey and Christmas themed items! So dust off your robes, don your house colours and your best witch's hat and let the magic begin! “During the event there will be magicians and actors present, as well as other immersive entertainment including a visit from Hedwig and his Scottish cousin, Ghost! “IMPORTANT NOTICE: This is an independently created event and is not related to Warner Bros or any of their properties. It is not endorsed by or associated with J.K. Rowling or otherwise connected with Harry Potter or J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World.” Tickets are £32.50 per person and can be bought .

Shopping on Temu can feel like playing an arcade game. Instead of using a joystick-controlled claw to grab a toy, visitors to the online marketplace maneuver their computer mouses or cellphone screens to browse colorful gadgets, accessories and trinkets with prices that look too good to refuse. A pop-up spinning wheel offers the chance to win a coupon. Rotating captions warn that a less than $2 camouflage print balaclava and a $1.23 skeleton hand back scratcher are “Almost sold out.” A flame symbol indicates a $9.69 plush cat print hoodie is selling fast. A timed-down selection of discounted items adds to the sense of urgency. Pages from the Shein website, left, and from the Temu site, right. Welcome to the new online world of impulse buying, a place of guilty pleasures where the selection is vast, every day is Cyber Monday, and an instant dopamine hit is always just a click away. By all accounts, we’re living in an accelerating age for consumerism, one that Temu, which is owned by the Chinese e-commerce company PDD Holdings, and Shein, its fierce rival , supercharged with social media savvy and an interminable assortment of cheap goods, most shipped directly from merchants in China based on real-time demand. The business models of the two platforms, coupled with avalanches of digital or influencer advertising, have enabled them to give Western retailers a run for their money this holiday shopping season. A Christmas tree ornament purchased on Temu. Software company Salesforce said it expects roughly one in five online purchases in the U.S., the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada to be made through four online marketplaces based or founded in Asia: Shein, Temu, TikTok Shop — the e-commerce arm of video-sharing platform TikTok — and AliExpress. Analysts with Salesforce said they are expected to pull in roughly $160 billion in global sales outside of China. Most of the sales will go to Temu and Shein, a privately held company which is thought to lead the worldwide fast fashion market in revenue. Lisa Xiaoli Neville, a nonprofit manager who lives in Los Angeles, is sold on Shein. The bedroom of her home is stocked with jeans, shoes, press-on nails and other items from the ultra-fast fashion retailer, all of which she amassed after getting on the platform to buy a $2 pair of earrings she saw in a Facebook ad. Neville, 46, estimates she spends at least $75 a month on products from Shein. A $2 eggshell opener, a portable apple peeler and an apple corer, both costing less than $5, are among the quirky, single-use kitchen tools taking up drawer space. She acknowledges she doesn’t need them because she “doesn’t even cook like that.” Plus, she’s allergic to apples. “I won’t eat apples. It will kill me,” Neville said, laughing. “But I still want the coring thing.” Shein, now based in Singapore, uses some of the same web design features as Temu’s, such as pop-up coupons and ads, to persuade shoppers to keep clicking, but it appears a bit more restrained in its approach. Shein primarily targets young women through partnerships with social media influencers. Searching the company's name on video platforms turns up creators promoting Shein's Black Friday sales event and displaying the dozens of of trendy clothes and accessories they got for comparatively little money. But the Shein-focused content also includes videos of TikTokers saying they're embarrassed to admit they shopped there and critics lashing out at fans for not taking into account the environmental harms or potential labor abuses associated with products that are churned out and shipped worldwide at a speedy pace. Neville has already picked out holiday gifts for family and friends from the site. Most of the products in her online cart cost under $10, including graphic T-shirts she intends to buy for her son and jeans and loafers for her daughter. All told, she plans to spend about $200 on gifts, significantly less than $500 she used to shell out at other stores in prior years. “The visuals just make you want to spend more money,” she said, referring to the clothes on Shein's site. “They're very cheap and everything is just so cute.” Unlike Shein, Temu's appeal cuts across age groups and gender. The platform is the world’s second most-visited online shopping site, software company Similarweb reported in September. Customers go there looking for practical items like doormats and silly products like a whiskey flask shaped like a vintage cellphone from the 1990s. Temu advertised Black Friday bargains for some items at upwards of 70% off the recommended retail price. Making a purchase can quickly result in receiving dozens of emails offering free giveaways. The caveat: customers have to buy more products. Despite their rise, Temu and Shein have proven particularly ripe for pushback. Last year, a coalition of unnamed brands and organizations launched a campaign to oppose Shein in Washington. U.S. lawmakers also have raised the possibility that Temu is allowing goods made with forced labor to enter the country. More recently, the Biden administration put forward rules that would crack down on a trade rule known as the de minimis exception, which has allowed a lot of cheap products to come into the U.S. duty-free. President-elect Donald Trump is expected to slap high tariffs on goods from China, a move that would likely raise prices across the retail world. Both Shein and Temu have set up warehouses in the U.S. to speed up delivery times and help them better compete with Amazon, which is trying to erode their price advantage through a new storefront that also ships products directly from China. The business news you need Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly.MAPS DEADLINE: ROSEN LAW FIRM, NATIONAL TRIAL LAWYERS, Encourages WM Technology, Inc. Investors ...

Forthright and fearless, the Nobel Prize winner took pot-shots at former prime minister Tony Blair and ex-US president George W Bush among others. His death came after repeated bouts of illness in which images of the increasingly frail former president failed to erase memories of his fierce spirit. Democrat James Earl “Jimmy” Carter Jr swept to power in 1977 with his Trust Me campaign helping to beat Republican president Gerald Ford. Serving as 39th US president from 1977 to 1981, he sought to make government “competent and compassionate” but was ousted by the unstoppable Hollywood appeal of a certain Ronald Reagan. A skilled sportsman, Mr Carter left his home of Plains, Georgia, to join the US Navy, returning later to run his family’s peanut business. A stint in the Georgia senate lit the touchpaper on his political career and he rose to the top of the Democratic movement. But he will also be remembered for a bizarre encounter with a deeply disgruntled opponent. The president was enjoying a relaxing fishing trip near his home town in 1979 when his craft was attacked by a furious swamp rabbit which reportedly swam up to the boat hissing wildly. The press had a field day, with one paper bearing the headline President Attacked By Rabbit. Away from encounters with belligerent bunnies, Mr Carter’s willingness to address politically uncomfortable topics did not diminish with age. He recently said that he would be willing to travel to North Korea for peace talks on behalf of US President Donald Trump. He also famously mounted a ferocious and personal attack on Tony Blair over the Iraq war, weeks before the prime minister left office in June 2007. Mr Carter, who had already denounced George W Bush’s presidency as “the worst in history”, used an interview on BBC radio to condemn Mr Blair for his tight relations with Mr Bush, particularly concerning the Iraq War. Asked how he would characterise Mr Blair’s relationship with Mr Bush, Mr Carter replied: “Abominable. Loyal, blind, apparently subservient. “I think that the almost undeviating support by Great Britain for the ill-advised policies of President Bush in Iraq have been a major tragedy for the world.” Mr Carter was also voluble over the Rhodesia crisis, which was about to end during his presidency. His support for Robert Mugabe at the time generated widespread criticism. He was said to have ignored the warnings of many prominent Zimbabweans, black and white, about what sort of leader Mugabe would be. This was seen by Mr Carter’s critics as “deserving a prominent place among the outrages of the Carter years”. Mr Carter has since said he and his administration had spent more effort and worry on Rhodesia than on the Middle East. He admitted he had supported two revolutionaries in Mugabe and Joshua Nkomo, and with hindsight said later that Mugabe had been “a good leader gone bad”, having at first been “a very enlightened president”. One US commentator wrote: “History will not look kindly on those in the West who insisted on bringing the avowed Marxist Mugabe into the government. “In particular, the Jimmy Carter foreign policy... bears some responsibility for the fate of a small African country with scant connection to American national interests.” In recent years Mr Carter developed a reputation as an international peace negotiator. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for his commitment to finding peaceful solutions to international conflicts, his work with human rights and democracy initiatives, and his promotion of economic and social programmes. Mr Carter was dispatched to North Korea in August 2008 to secure the release of US citizen Aijalon Mahli Gomes, who had been sentenced to eight years of hard labour after being found guilty of illegally entering North Korea. He successfully secured the release of Mr Gomes. In 2010 he returned to the White House to greet President Barack Obama and discuss international affairs amid rising tensions on the Korean peninsula. Proving politics runs in the family, in 2013 his grandson Jason, a state senator, announced his bid to become governor in Georgia, where his famous grandfather governed before becoming president. He eventually lost to incumbent Republican Nathan Deal. Fears that Mr Carter’s health was deteriorating were sparked in 2015 when he cut short an election observation visit in Guyana because he was “not feeling well”. It would have been Mr Carter’s 39th trip to personally observe an international election. Three months later, on August 12, he revealed he had cancer which had been diagnosed after he underwent surgery to remove a small mass in his liver. Mr Obama was among the well-wishers hoping for Mr Carter’s full recovery after it was confirmed the cancer had spread widely. Melanoma had been found in his brain and liver, and Mr Carter underwent immunotherapy and radiation therapy, before announcing in March the following year that he no longer needed any treatment. In 2017, Mr Carter was taken to hospital as a precaution, after he became dehydrated at a home-building project in Canada. He was admitted to hospital on multiple occasions in 2019 having had a series of falls, suffering a brain bleed and a broken pelvis, as well as a stint to be treated for a urinary tract infection. Mr Carter spent much of the coronavirus pandemic largely at his home in Georgia, and did not attend Joe Biden’s presidential inauguration in 2021, but extended his “best wishes”. Former first lady Rosalynn Carter, the closest adviser to Mr Carter during his term as US president, died in November 2023. She had been living with dementia and suffering many months of declining health. “Rosalynn was my equal partner in everything I ever accomplished,” Mr Carter said in a statement following her death. “She gave me wise guidance and encouragement when I needed it. As long as Rosalynn was in the world, I always knew somebody loved and supported me.”Jimmy Carter, the 39th president and a Nobel Peace Prize recipient, has died at 100

(The Center Square) – Christians helped push President-elect Donald Trump across the finish line on Election Day, a survey found. Trump received the majority of the Christian vote, while Vice President Kamala Harris received the majority of the non-Christian vote. This is according to a report from the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University, which surveyed 2,000 voting-age adults nationally. The election was a historic comeback for Republicans on many fronts, with Trump being the first Republican to win the popular vote vote in over two decades. Among self-identified Christians, Trump also received 56% of their votes, compared to the 60% Harris received from non-Christians. Yet, because the majority of voters still identify as Christians, Trump had a larger share of the vote. “Although Harris won a larger share of the non-Christian vote than Trump’s share of the Christian votes, Christians outnumbered non-Christian voters by more than a 5 to 2 margin – delivering the decisive Nov. 5 victory to President Trump,” the report said. “Not only did most of Trump’s votes come from Christians, but they gave him a 17 million vote cushion over Harris, which proved to be an insurmountable lead.” Christians represented 72% of the voters who turned out. The report also found that Catholics had record-high turnout, despite overall voter and Christian voter turnout being well below what it was in 2020. While voter turnout was lower than 2020 in most of the Christian subgroups polled, 70% of Catholics reported voting compared to 2020’s 67%. Voters with a “biblical worldview” also voted at a higher percentage, up to 67% in 2024 from 2020’s 64%. Just days before the election, Trump predicted that Harris would struggle with the Catholic vote on Election Day. “Kamala Harris has finally lost the Catholic vote,” he said on social media on Oct. 25. “Her and the Democrats persecution of the Catholic Church is unprecedented! Her poll numbers have dropped like a rock, both with Catholics, and otherwise.” While many politicos expressed concerns that Trump’s moderate pro-life stance would disenfranchise Christian and anti-abortion voters, it seems to have much less of an impact than expected. In fact, Trump pointed to Harris’ abortion stance as pushing Catholics toward voting for him. “Kamala is demanding late-term abortion, in months seven, eight, and nine, and even execution after birth, and people aren’t buying it – and they never will,” the former president said . The report found that 20% of Christians selected abortion as the most-consequential issue this election, with inflation (38%) and immigration (34%) receiving even higher percentages. Yet, potentially even more impactful on the election than the increase in the Catholic vote was the significant drop in non-Christian turnout, even higher than those reported in Christian subgroups. The report found that adults “associated with a faith other than Christianity” and “adults who have no religious faith” had a massive drop in turnout from 2020, dropping 12% and 9% respectively. With both of these groups historically supporting Democratic candidates, this cratering in support likely had a significant impact on Harris’ chances of winning. George Barna, who serves as the director of research at the Cultural Research Center and led the survey, said Trump’s boost with Christians was just too much for Harris. “Americans forget that two-thirds of adults in this nation consider themselves to be Christians,” Barna said . “Donald Trump, for all of his perceived and ridiculed faults, did a better job than did Kamala Harris of representing hallowed Christian characteristics such as the importance and support of family, the rule of law, limited government authority, financial responsibility, and the like.”

The 27-year-old achieved the feat with a 23-yard run during the fourth quarter of the Eagles’ crushing 41-7 success at Lincoln Financial Field. Barkley is 100 yards short of Eric Dickerson’s record of 2,105 yards, set in 1984 for the Los Angeles Rams, ahead of next week’s regular season finale against the New York Giants. Single-season rushing record in reach. @saquon @Eagles pic.twitter.com/iSHyXeMLv1 — NFL (@NFL) December 29, 2024 However, he could be rested for that game in order to protect him from injury ahead of the play-offs. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers kept alive their dreams of reaching the play-offs by overcoming the Carolina Panthers 48-14. Veteran quarterback Baker Mayfield produced a dominant performance at Raymond James Stadium, registering five passing touchdowns to equal a Buccaneers franchise record. he BAKED today 👨‍🍳 pic.twitter.com/eFX9fd1w5P — NFL (@NFL) December 29, 2024 The Buffalo Bills clinched the AFC conference number two seed for the post season with a 40-14 success over the New York Jets at Highmark Stadium. Josh Allen passed for 182 yards and two touchdowns, while rushing for another. Buffalo finish the 2024 regular season undefeated at home, with eight wins from as many games. The Indianapolis Colts’ hopes of reaching the play-offs were ended by a 45-33 defeat to the Giants. FINAL: Drew Lock accounts for 5 TDs in the @Giants victory! #INDvsNYG pic.twitter.com/N8HJYth09F — NFL (@NFL) December 29, 2024 Malik Nabers exploded for 171 yards and two touchdowns and Ihmir Smith-Marsette broke a 100-yard kick-off return to give the Giants their highest-scoring output under head coach Brian Daboll. Quarterback Drew Lock threw four touchdown passes and accounted for a fifth on the ground to seal the win. Elsewhere, Mac Jones threw two touchdowns to help the Jacksonville Jaguars defeat the Tennessee Titans 20-13, while the Las Vegas Raiders beat the New Orleans Saints 25-10.Human remains found buried along the Eel River near the northern border of Mendocino County more than a decade ago have been identified as those of a Washington State man missing since 1986, the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office reported. According to the MCSO, deputies were informed in late October of 2012 that “human remains had been discovered buried in a shallow grave” near Piercy, located near the southern Humboldt County line. In a press release emailed Monday, the MCSO explains that “detectives with the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Investigations Bureau (then) responded to the 83000 block of Highway 271 in Piercy, and were provided with a plastic bag containing human foot bones. Photographs taken by the reporting party were also provided to investigators at this time.” MCSO personnel then used kayaks to paddle “approximately 1/4 mile (on the Eel River) to the location where the remains had been discovered, (requesting assistance from) Forensic Anthropologists from California State University ... for the excavation/preservation of the buried skeletal remains.” The remains were reportedly found not under water, but “in the high water line.” According to the MCSO, “the Forensic Anthropology team unearthed human skeletal remains, which were absent the head. It appeared the remains located within the shallow grave had been there for an extended time, and the partial articles of clothing collected suggested 1980s styles.” The case was initially labeled as a “John Doe homicide, (and later) multiple attempts to identify the remains of the buried skeletal remains were made, but ultimately unsuccessful.” Then in spring of 2024, the MCSO reports that it “sent forensic evidence to Othram in The Woodlands, Texas,” where scientists reportedly “successfully developed a DNA extract from the forensic evidence and used Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing® to build a comprehensive DNA profile for the unknown man (and) ultimately providing new investigative leads to law enforcement. The investigative leads presented genealogical findings for a Warren David Hawkins,” a 21-year-old man last seen in the summer of 1986. The MCSO reports that its investigation revealed that Hawkins, born on Jan. 1, 1965, “had been reported missing by his sister (Paula Hawkins) to the Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office in Washington State, (with) the last reported sighting of Hawkins being in July of 1986 when his now deceased mother dropped off 21-year-old Hawkins and another unknown male at a bus station. (His sister) Paula provided a DNA reference sample to the Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office, which was provided to Othram Technology and later used for his identification. An additional DNA sample was obtained from Paula in 2024 by the Gresham Police Department in Oregon.” When asked Monday how much the identification work cost, MCSO spokesman Capt. Quincy Cromer said “the cost for the services performed by Othram is $10,000, (and) this particular case was crowd-funded by Othram, so it did not cost anything for Mendocino County.” The MCSO notes that though “the remains of Warren David Hawkins can now be returned to his family, (the case) is still an active and ongoing homicide investigation, (and) anyone with information related to this case is requested to call the Sheriff’s Office Dispatch Center at 707-463-4086. The MCSO thanked the following agencies for their assistance: Othram Technology, California State University – Chico Anthropology Department, NamUs (National Missing and Unidentified Persons System), Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office in Washington and the Gresham Police Department in Oregon.”

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Jimmy Carter, the 39th president and a Nobel Peace Prize recipient, has died at 100Shopping on Temu can feel like playing an arcade game. Instead of using a joystick-controlled claw to grab a toy, visitors to the online marketplace maneuver their computer mouses or cellphone screens to browse colorful gadgets, accessories and trinkets with prices that look too good to refuse. A pop-up spinning wheel offers the chance to win a coupon. Rotating captions warn that a less than $2 camouflage print balaclava and a $1.23 skeleton hand back scratcher are “Almost sold out.” A flame symbol indicates a $9.69 plush cat print hoodie is selling fast. A timed-down selection of discounted items adds to the sense of urgency. Pages from the Shein website, left, and from the Temu site, right. Welcome to the new online world of impulse buying, a place of guilty pleasures where the selection is vast, every day is Cyber Monday, and an instant dopamine hit is always just a click away. By all accounts, we’re living in an accelerating age for consumerism, one that Temu, which is owned by the Chinese e-commerce company PDD Holdings, and Shein, its fierce rival , supercharged with social media savvy and an interminable assortment of cheap goods, most shipped directly from merchants in China based on real-time demand. The business models of the two platforms, coupled with avalanches of digital or influencer advertising, have enabled them to give Western retailers a run for their money this holiday shopping season. A Christmas tree ornament purchased on Temu. Software company Salesforce said it expects roughly one in five online purchases in the U.S., the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada to be made through four online marketplaces based or founded in Asia: Shein, Temu, TikTok Shop — the e-commerce arm of video-sharing platform TikTok — and AliExpress. Analysts with Salesforce said they are expected to pull in roughly $160 billion in global sales outside of China. Most of the sales will go to Temu and Shein, a privately held company which is thought to lead the worldwide fast fashion market in revenue. Lisa Xiaoli Neville, a nonprofit manager who lives in Los Angeles, is sold on Shein. The bedroom of her home is stocked with jeans, shoes, press-on nails and other items from the ultra-fast fashion retailer, all of which she amassed after getting on the platform to buy a $2 pair of earrings she saw in a Facebook ad. Neville, 46, estimates she spends at least $75 a month on products from Shein. A $2 eggshell opener, a portable apple peeler and an apple corer, both costing less than $5, are among the quirky, single-use kitchen tools taking up drawer space. She acknowledges she doesn’t need them because she “doesn’t even cook like that.” Plus, she’s allergic to apples. “I won’t eat apples. It will kill me,” Neville said, laughing. “But I still want the coring thing.” Shein, now based in Singapore, uses some of the same web design features as Temu’s, such as pop-up coupons and ads, to persuade shoppers to keep clicking, but it appears a bit more restrained in its approach. Shein primarily targets young women through partnerships with social media influencers. Searching the company's name on video platforms turns up creators promoting Shein's Black Friday sales event and displaying the dozens of of trendy clothes and accessories they got for comparatively little money. But the Shein-focused content also includes videos of TikTokers saying they're embarrassed to admit they shopped there and critics lashing out at fans for not taking into account the environmental harms or potential labor abuses associated with products that are churned out and shipped worldwide at a speedy pace. Neville has already picked out holiday gifts for family and friends from the site. Most of the products in her online cart cost under $10, including graphic T-shirts she intends to buy for her son and jeans and loafers for her daughter. All told, she plans to spend about $200 on gifts, significantly less than $500 she used to shell out at other stores in prior years. “The visuals just make you want to spend more money,” she said, referring to the clothes on Shein's site. “They're very cheap and everything is just so cute.” Unlike Shein, Temu's appeal cuts across age groups and gender. The platform is the world’s second most-visited online shopping site, software company Similarweb reported in September. Customers go there looking for practical items like doormats and silly products like a whiskey flask shaped like a vintage cellphone from the 1990s. Temu advertised Black Friday bargains for some items at upwards of 70% off the recommended retail price. Making a purchase can quickly result in receiving dozens of emails offering free giveaways. The caveat: customers have to buy more products. Despite their rise, Temu and Shein have proven particularly ripe for pushback. Last year, a coalition of unnamed brands and organizations launched a campaign to oppose Shein in Washington. U.S. lawmakers also have raised the possibility that Temu is allowing goods made with forced labor to enter the country. More recently, the Biden administration put forward rules that would crack down on a trade rule known as the de minimis exception, which has allowed a lot of cheap products to come into the U.S. duty-free. President-elect Donald Trump is expected to slap high tariffs on goods from China, a move that would likely raise prices across the retail world. Both Shein and Temu have set up warehouses in the U.S. to speed up delivery times and help them better compete with Amazon, which is trying to erode their price advantage through a new storefront that also ships products directly from China. 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AP Trending SummaryBrief at 6:46 p.m. ESTLILONGWE-(MaraviPost)- Malawi’s crippling fuel shortage, which has left motorists stranded for over a month, has one name etched at the center of this national scandal thatsz Colleen Zamba. The Secretary to the President and Cabinet Zamba has not only failed to act, but it now emerges that she has spearheaded a corrupt cartel that has pilfered over K60 billion (US$24 million) meant for the country’s fuel procurement, plunging the nation into chaos. The public is finally waking up to the truth—Zamba’s web of corruption is the root cause of the crisis that has crippled the economy and shattered public trust in the government. Zamba, at the heart of fuel crisis: A Corruption Empire Built on Fuel At the heart of the catastrophe lies Zamba’s iron grip over NOCMA (National Oil Company of Malawi), the state-owned fuel procurement agency. Appointed by President Lazarus Chakwera to oversee fuel imports, Zamba quickly turned NOCMA into a personal fiefdom. Through her tight control of the board, she handpicked cronies and loyalists to ensure that the flow of money and contracts would go directly into her pocket—and those of her associates. But this is more than mere incompetence; this is criminality. In October 2023, Malawi secured a much-needed loan of K125 billion (US$50 million) from the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) to ease the fuel shortage. Instead of using the funds as intended, over K60 billion has vanished into thin air—unaccounted for. What happened to this money? It was stolen—and Zamba, along with her handpicked allies, is at the heart of it. The Disappearance of K60 Billion: Zamba’s Black Hole Zamba’s role in the scandal is now undeniable. Funds intended to purchase fuel from reputable suppliers were siphoned off, and NOCMA paid only a fraction of the money—just US$26 million—to suppliers. The rest? A black hole. Tens of millions of dollars meant to bring fuel to the nation disappeared. Senior officials from the Reserve Bank of Malawi and the Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC) have been unable to account for the missing money. Zamba’s personal connections and her manipulation of the procurement process are to blame. What did Zamba do with the missing billions? She ensured that fuel contracts were awarded to sham companies—companies that were either non-existent or solely created to line the pockets of those loyal to her. One such company, the fake Sheikh Ahmed Al Qassimi firm, has been implicated in dodgy deals that saw millions of liters of fuel meant for Malawi sold off to neighboring Zimbabwe instead. Fuel tankers, loaded with fuel paid for by Malawian taxpayers, simply disappeared on their way to Malawi. Instead of fueling the nation, they were rerouted to Zimbabwe, where they were sold for a profit. Why? Because Zamba and her cartel were taking cuts from the transactions, at the expense of ordinary Malawians who now suffer under the weight of crippling fuel shortages. Collusion with Hara and Kanyama: A Cartel in Plain Sight Zamba’s web of corruption also involves high-ranking government officials, including Transport Minister Jacob Hara and former NOCMA CEO Clement Kanyama, both of whom have been implicated in the scandal. Hara, it seems, played a key role in orchestrating the deals with the fake companies. Under Zamba’s influence, NOCMA began procuring fuel through a lengthy and inefficient pipeline from Beira to Zimbabwe—a route that was not only longer but far more costly. This was not about ensuring fuel supply; it was about stealing from the nation. The plan was simple: By creating unnecessary middlemen, the cartel would siphon money from fuel contracts and supply deals, all while keeping the truth hidden from the public. For months, Zamba, Kanyama, and Hara pocketed millions while Malawi’s fuel situation spiraled out of control. Zamba’s absolute control over the NOCMA board meant that no one could challenge her decisions. She stacked the board with loyalists who had no interest in anything other than pleasing her. This was not governance—it was cartel rule. And now, the consequences are plain to see: A nation without fuel, a public in anger, and a desperate president struggling to control a crisis he never anticipated. The Fake Sheikh: A Scheme Built on Deception Zamba’s scandalous dealings go even further. One of her primary schemes involved using a fake Sheikh, purportedly Sheikh Ahmed Al Qassimi, to front for an international fuel deal that involved billions of kwachas. Zamba used this bogus deal as a cover to divert Malawi’s funds into her personal coffers. The fuel contracts under the fake Sheikh never materialized, yet Malawians paid for them. Alongside this, Zamba and her allies established another shell company, GET Global, to continue exploiting the fuel procurement process. No one knew where this company came from, or who was behind it. The only thing that was clear was that the company was used to funnel money away from the people of Malawi and into the hands of Zamba’s inner circle. Zamba’s Power and Corruption: A Threat to the Nation Zamba’s grip on power has been nothing short of tyrannical. As Secretary to the President, she has used her influence to ensure that her cartel thrives, while the people of Malawi have paid the price. Zamba’s corruption has not only caused the current fuel shortage—it has endangered the country’s future. By blocking honest suppliers and inflating prices through middlemen, Zamba has kept the nation in a perpetual state of economic limbo. Despite the mounting evidence, Zamba has shown no remorse. Instead, she remains a central figure in Malawi’s political elite, undeterred by the suffering of ordinary people. Her power, however, is now under threat. President Chakwera, after months of inaction, has finally launched a forensic audit into the missing funds and corruption at NOCMA. But will it be enough to bring Zamba to justice? The Cartel’s Last Stand As the pressure mounts, the cartel that Zamba has led is fighting back. With the resurfacing of former NOCMA CEO Hellen Buluma and other senior figures, the plan to dismantle the corruption at NOCMA has begun. However, this fight will not be easy. Zamba’s allies still occupy key positions, and the networks of corruption she has built are deep and far-reaching. But one thing is clear: Zamba’s days of pilfering from the people of Malawi must come to an end. The K60 billion she misused could have been used to secure fuel supplies, build infrastructure, and stabilize the economy. Instead, she turned it into a personal slush fund. Malawi deserves better. The public must demand that Zamba be held accountable for her actions—before more lives are ruined by her corruption. Conclusion: Zamba Must Pay for Her Crimes Colleen Zamba has stolen from the people of Malawi, and her corruption has directly contributed to the fuel crisis that has shaken the nation. Her manipulation of NOCMA and her role in the disappearance of over K60 billion cannot go unpunished. The time for accountability has arrived. The people of Malawi demand justice. Zamba must face the consequences of her greed and be removed from power—before she sinks the country further into despair. The story of Zamba is a story of unbridled corruption at its worst. If Malawi is to recover, it must begin by ridding itself of the poison that she has unleashed upon the nation. Additional information: Nyasa Times... Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .